Whats the effect of cheating on a diet

I've always wondered how badly it effects your fat loss when you cheat. I normally have excellent discipline while dieting, but yesterday, I had 2 pieces of cake after lunch and 2 bowls of pudding after dinner. Eating all that sugar made me feel like crap. How much does doing that once in a awhile set me back in reaching my weight loss goals.

Here's my take on cheating and the affect it has on your gains. You say you're goals for this cycle is to lean out, lose weight. Of course without your sugar binge, you would have been better off but we are all humans and want to live life . I tend to be bad here and there myself and I just tell myself to get back on a clean diet whenever I go bad. So yea you're desired goal is affected by a cheat meal here and there but its not going to throw your complete cycle out the window by any means. Just get back onto a clean diet.
Sage

Doesn't the occasional cheat meal kick start the metabolism again? If so, in that way they could actually be beneficial.

They are beneficial,I used to feel guilty on a cheat day,but not anymore.I am carb sensitive so I do a refeed every 10-14 days instead every 5...Not counting post workout drinks which I use Grape juice and Dextrose,creatine and whey protien...Even on a low carb diet the post workout high glycemic carb onslaught has a definate place in a keto plan..

I wouldn't get too worried about it, but I think that you are right to be concerned.

In my experience, it's best for me if I plan my cheat meals. I know that is not always possible. But like Madman said, he plans to cheat every 14 days, he may have a rough idea of what he plans to eat on that day, and he has an idea of how that is going to impact him in the long run. If you don't plan your cheat meals, then you may forget how often those cheats occur, what they consist of, and then you may not be able to tell how that is going to impact your goals.

You can't gain or lose any significant weight from a single meal or even a single day, so if you cheat once in awhile, it's fine. You can eat a dozen donuts in one meal, and it wouldn't be as bad as eating a dozen donut over a week. Your body can only process or do so much in such a small amount of time.

I always go for a 30-45 minute run 2-3 hours after I cheat unplanned (I mean cheat cheat like cake and ice cream, not a refeed). I figure it negates any evils and reminds me not to do it again, works pretty well for me but your milage may vary. I don't cheat much anymore.

You can't gain or lose any significant weight from a single meal or even a single day, so if you cheat once in awhile, it's fine. You can eat a dozen donuts in one meal, and it wouldn't be as bad as eating a dozen donut over a week. Your body can only process or do so much in such a small amount of time.

A large massive meal can have a prolonged effect on the amount of FFA's your body will store and it can also have a profound effect on cAMP and levels of LPL and HSL.

Some people might be able to rip right through it while others the effects can hinder fat loss for a significant amount of time.

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I'd guess cake and pudding and other simple sugars would probably not be the best thing to have on a cheat meal. What would be, for a 40/40/20 cutting diet high in complex carbs, protein, and good fats?

There is nothing like fruit after you have been off simple sugars (cake, donuts, icecream) for a while, I love a cold Georgia peach from the fridge, a cold granny smith apple with some natty PB on it, a plum, a few grapes, some strawberries, etc.

Every Sunday is my planned cheat day. Its the only day during the week I don't work, so I can really focus my energy on a brutal workout. Sundays keep my sanity while dieting. I can keep a clean diet throughout the rest of the week (for an extended period of time) and prevent any desires to binge.

Originally Posted by cr4ytonic

There is nothing like fruit after you have been off simple sugars (cake, donuts, icecream) for a while, I love a cold Georgia peach from the fridge, a cold granny smith apple with some natty PB on it, a plum, a few grapes, some strawberries, etc.